Not Quite as Bad as I Thought

The meeting with the Director happened, and in fact, I did not get fired.  I felt the displeasure in spite of his words to the effect that I have every right to speak my mind politically.  Coming from Louden County outside D.C. he would be sharp enough politically to know firing me would be out of the question.  But the words out of his mouth conveyed threat.  He questioned why, if I were injured at work, I had not filed a workers comp claim.

--Because it could not have been proved that it happened at work.

--You said in the ad that you tore your rotator cuff at work.

--No, I did not.

Well, it just happened that he had the ad up on the t.v. sitting right next to him at his desk, and he played it, and in fact I did not say that I tore my rotator cuff at work.  I tore my rotator cuff "carrying books".

I explained that this wasn't about the library, this was about every service job where people do the same activity for hours a day, five days a week, and the wear and tear on the body, and the threat to extend the retirement age for those people.

His response was, I need to retire too.  Really.

The other big CYA issue on the agenda was whether or not I was now able to do my job.  I assured him that with the doctor's limitations on hours, the cooperation of my branch manager and co-workers, and regular cortisone shots and physical therapy, I can do my job.

When he said that that was all, I suggested that if he had let me know a week ago I might have saved a couple of bad nights' sleep.  He didn't laugh.

The man sent me an email confirming the above points, and I sent him one back assuring him that I was able to do all aspects of my job given the above conditions.

All very formal and cold.

I wonder what would have happened if in the ad I had said I had injured my job at work.

Still employed, I also continue to practice the art of CYA.